Typhoon Lagoon Attractions – Our Top 3

Pretty much any Disney World visitor knows that there are two Disney owned water parks in Orlando. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are both wonderful family water parks. Crowds flock to the parks to cool off in the hot Florida sunshine or like us, we go to the water parks when we want a slower paced day. We love Typhoon Lagoon so today I thought I’d tell you all about the water park. I also wanted to tell you our Top 3 Typhoon Lagoon Attractions, so you know where to head first!

On our first ever visit to Disney World we made the rookie mistake of going to one of the theme parks on our first day. We chose Animal Kingdom and were all exhausted. We had been travelling for a long time the previous day and got to our resort quite late at night. It’s fair to say we learnt our lesson and made the choice that from then on, our first day on holiday would always be a relaxing day in a water park.

Typhoon Lagoon was our favourite at the time. The combination of the slow lazy river and the various water slides, with plenty of areas to sit in the sunshine and the Beach Boys playing in the background made it an ideal place to have lots of fun, but at a slower pace.

So, Typhoon Lagoon became our go to park on our first day of holiday every time we visited Disney World. We always fit in a trip to Blizzard Beach on our holidays. However Typhoon Lagoon just called to us on our first day. About 2 or 3 years ago we did break with tradition and chose Blizzard Beach for our first day, but that was a one-time thing, our tradition was well & truly set and the following year we were back at Typhoon Lagoon.

Typhoon Lagoon has a shipwreck theme. As you come through the entrance and walk along the path that takes you to the shop and locker area, there is a little diversion. You must take this route to get a great view of the shipwreck teetering on the top of the mountain overlooking the huge wave pool. The diversion is up a small flight of steps on the right hand side. It has another set of steps to come down and rejoin the path when you’re ready. It’s a great photo spot, so I encourage everybody to take a look.

Our Favourite Attractions

There are so many Typhoon Lagoon attractions that are so great. Disney have done well to cater for all ages in the water parks. I could talk for a long time about all the amazing Typhoon Lagoon attractions, but for now I’ll talk about our favourites.

Crush ‘n’ Gusher – This is the water coaster. It is a fast-paced ride where you sit in a raft. You can either ride with a partner or as a single rider (one of the slides only allows double riders, so be aware of this). You choose from three slides; Pineapple Plunger, Coconut Crusher or Banana Blaster. Once you are sat in the raft correctly, the ride attendant presses the button to get the conveyor belt moving. This is where your journey begins. There are dips, uphill climbs and bends throughout the ride, until you shoot out at the bottom into the Hideaway Bay pool. We all love this ride and always try to get on all three slides while we are at the park. Sometimes they have Disney photographers taking pictures as you exit the slide. Keep an eye out for these. If they are around make sure you grab the Photopass tag that they offer you, because the photos capture a great moment of smiles and laughter as you come to the end of the ride.

Miss Adventure Falls – This is the newest attraction at Typhoon Lagoon. It’s a family raft ride, fitting 4 people per raft, so perfect for us as a family of 4. You sit in the raft and get taken up to the top of the slide on the conveyor belt. Then you have to hold on tight as you whizz down the slide, with splashes and surprises round every bend. This is another ride that often has a photographer at the end, so make sure you grab that tag.

Castaway Creek – This is the lazy river that circles the whole park. It’s so relaxing sitting in a tube, enjoying the sunshine and bobbing along the river. The river has various entrance/exits, so you can hop on and off at different areas of the park. The great thing about this attraction is that it is suitable for all ages, so grab a tube and chill. Just watch out for the waterfalls!

All the Other Typhoon Lagoon Attractions

Obviously the three above are just our top 3 and there are lots of other attractions to choose from. The main pool is huge and lots of fun when you hear the boom, as the big wave is created. It’s so funny watching everybody trying to race the wave, jump over the wave or swim through it, then rush about rescuing sunglasses, goggles and any other loose objects they were holding. If you’re feeling brave, swim to the deep end where the wave is at its highest.

There is another pool that you can enjoy also, Hideaway Bay. This is my favourite pool because it’s calmer without the waves and doesn’t get as busy as the surf pool.

There are lots of other attractions to choose from. Slides include Mayday Falls, Storm Slides, Humunga Kowabunga just to name a few. There is also a dedicated children’s area called Ketchakiddee Creek. This is a lovely area for children under 4 feet tall, with mini slides, fountains, a cave and waterfall. Enjoy this area while you can; our two are too big for this area now. I miss the days we could watch them splashing around in the fountains and going on the mini rapids ride over and over again.

For a full list of Typhoon Lagoon Attractions, why not visit Disney World’s page to find out more.

Everything Else

As well as the water attractions, there is a shop near the entrance. In the shop you can pick up any essentials you’ve forgotten, such as sun cream or flip flops. They also give out towels to use and around the corner from the shop are the lockers, where you can stow away anything you want to keep safe (and dry) while you enjoy the day keeping cool in the water.

There are also a variety of dining options to choose from. Some of the food o the menus are BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, fish basket, chicken wraps, ice cream and funnel cake. It’s all quick service items, so you can just go straight to the counter, order your items and take them away on a tray to your seat of choice.

You can even rent your own Beachcomber Shack for your family if you want to spend the extra money. These are a shaded area, with lounge chairs, a locker, a cooler with bottled water and other amenities. You also have attendants on hand to take food orders and offer help with any questions you have. For us we don’t get the value for money because we don’t spend enough time sat down, but it’s perfect if you like to spend a few hours relaxing on a sun lounger or have young children who need nap time. These are definitely a luxury, so you must weigh up the pros and cons and decide for yourself if they are worth the money.

They also have the option to rent Getaway Glen Umbrellas, which gives you two reserved loungers, two beach chairs and a table under a beach umbrella. This option is cheaper, but you should still decide for yourself if it’s worth the extra money for your group.

Typhoon Lagoon is a great way to spend time as a family. There is loads to do but the day doesn’t seem as full on and busy as a day in one of the four theme parks usually is. We try to have a ‘chill day’ every two or three days while we are on holiday and the water parks is always high on our agenda on these days.

Does anybody else enjoy the water parks? Which Typhoon Lagoon attractions do you love? Do you have any tips you can share with us?

Come back again soon for my take on Blizzard Beach. In the meantime, why not check out our Epcot guide here, or our favourite rides at Magic Kingdom here.